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Severin Leads No. 14 Beavers To Win Over No. 12 California

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Katrina Severin scored a 9.90 or better all of three of her events to lead the No. 14 Oregon State gymnastics team to a 195.575-195.000 win over No. 12 California at Gill Coliseum on Sunday afternoon. It was OSU's best score of the year.

Severin won all three of her events for the second week in a row. She scored career-highs of 9.925 on floor and 9.90 on beam, and she added a season-high 9.925 on vault to pick up three victories for the afternoon.

'Katrina has been a shining light for this team,' coach Tanya Chaplin said.

Several other Beavers turned in career-best performances, including Jerra Lopez, who scored personal bests of 9.90 on bars and 9.85 on beam. She also added a season-high 9.700 on vault, but suffered an achilles tendon injury on floor during her final tumbling pass and scored a 9.00.

OSU led by nearly a point heading into the final rotation, and Soni Meduna's 9.60 and Marissa Bruch's 9.825 on the first two floor routines kept OSU's lead in tact. But after Lopez got hurt and scored a 9.00, Lara Degenhardt fell on her double front and scored a 9.40, which the Beavers had to count. That opened the door for the Golden Bears, but Annie Campbell (9.775) and Severin turned in solid routines to give the Beavers their first win of the season.

'Those last two on floor did a great job. It's always hard after someone gets hurt,' Chaplin said. 'That was good to see. These athletes are definitely fighters.'

Lopez's injury was the latest to hamper the Beavers, who have been riddled with injuries all season. The Beavers did get one gymnast off the injured list and back into the lineup for this meet. Elizabeth Jillson, who had missed the last two meets because of a knee injury, returned on bars and scored a 9.90, tying Lopez for second place on that event. Bars ended up being OSU's best event on the afternoon, finishing with a season-high 49.400, just .075 off the school record. Five of the six competitors set or tied their personal bests, highlighted by Stephanie Bychowski's 9.925 for the victory. OSU also got career-bests from Degenhardt (9.875), Campbell (9.80) and Meduna (9.725).

OSU got the afternoon off to a great start with a season-high 48.825 on vault, highlighted by Severin's 9.925. Degenhardt finished second with a season-best 9.875, while Meduna added a career-high 9.65 as well. Campbell added a 9.675, and Elaine Yoder made a strong collegiate vaulting debut with a 9.60 in her first official college vault.

Yoder also led off the beam rotation and turned in a solid 9.775, and Bruch and Lopez followed with 9.825 and 9.85 scores respectively (both career-bests) to lead the Beavers to what looked to be one of their best beam outings of the year. However, Campbell and Bychowski both fell, forcing to the Beavers to count a fall. Bychowski's routine was nearly flawless with the exception of the fall, though, as she earned a 9.475 on the routine.

While the Beavers won all four individual events, Cal did claim the top two all-aroundscores. Pari Olver captured the victory with a 39.225, while Carrie Kriefels scored a 39.100. Campbell finished with a 38.600 for the Beavers, and Lopez tallied a 38.450.